The Tribunals Nominating Panel recommends that:

1. City Council appoint the following candidate, as Chair of the Toronto Licensing Tribunal effective August 1, 2017, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on November 30, 2018, and until a successor is appointed:

Gary Yee

2.  City Council appoint the following candidate to the Toronto Licensing Tribunal, at pleasure of Council, for a term of office ending on November 30, 2018, and until a successor is appointed:

Keith Cooper

3.  City Council direct that Confidential Attachments 1, 2, 3 and 4 remain confidential in their entirety as they relate to personal matters about identifiable individuals being considered for appointment to the Toronto Licensing Tribunal.

Candidates' biographies:

Gary Yee

Gary Yee is a lawyer who has chaired three Ontario tribunals, most recently the Licence Appeal Tribunal. His past positions include Special Advisor at the Immigration and Refugee Board, Manager of Legal Services at Ombudsman Ontario, and Executive Director of the Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. Gary has law degrees from the University of Toronto (LL.B.) and Osgoode Hall Law School (LL.M.). In 1999, he received the SOAR Medal from the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators for “outstanding contributions to Ontario’s administrative justice community." In May 2017, Gary will receive the Law Society Medal from the Law Society of Upper Canada for his significant contributions to the legal profession, especially his activism and advocacy for Chinese and other racialized communities and his leadership in administrative justice and the tribunal sector.

Keith Cooper

Keith Cooper is an experienced executive, well-versed in communications, workplace issues, and negotiations. He has completed certificates in Conflict Resolution and Public Relations from the University of Toronto, a Law Clerk diploma from Niagara College, and SOAR's Adjudicator Training Course. Currently, Keith is Vice Chair of the Workplace Safety Insurance Appeals Tribunal and of the Discipline Committee of the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council. He has served on a number of boards, including the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators.

The Tribunals Nominating Panel will conduct interviews during its meeting on February 10, 2017 and recommend two candidates to City Council for appointment to the Toronto Licensing Tribunal as Chair and public member.